THE Town Hall has been officially saved – after the council voted by an overwhelming majority to share the Ingrave Road complex with a new business centre.
The authority is now free to formally sign a joint agreement with Chromex, a serviced office operator, which would rent around 25,000sq ft of the civic centre from the council over 15 years.
Chromex would derive a rental income by splitting the space into dozens of offices and rent those out to smaller firms at a premium.
Just two Brentwood Borough Council members – Chris Hossack and Roger McCheyne – voted against the proposal to see Chromex invest about £1.5 million into the project, with the borough council investing £3.5 million.
The money will bring the building up to standard by replacing windows, the roof and the antiquated heating system.
The vote comes two years after the Town Hall Delivery Group, comprising members Liberal Democract, Labour and then Conservative councillors was set up to seek a solution for the ailing civic centre.
After years of inadequate investment, the red brick building, opened by the Queen in 1957, was becoming a major drain on the council coffers.
And with two-thirds of the building not being used, business rates were also needlessly high.
No start date for work has been announced yet but once the renovations – expected to take 18 months – are completed, around 20,000sq ft will be made available for Brentwood Borough Council and 6,000sq ft for community use.
Rental income from Chromex is estimated to rise to about £70,000 a year but importantly the deal will save the council about £140,000 a year in business rates.
The decision has come two years after the council was embarrassingly defeated over its plans to move to a new building next to the Ingrave Road site and sell the main block to developers.
Roger Hirst, deputy leader of the governing Conservative group on the council, supported the plan, which is likely to see the council investment returned within seven years.
He said: "Making better use of the town hall is a key part of the action being taken by the Conservative administration to reduce costs wherever possible, and keep council tax down while maintaining frontline services.
"What we agreed last night will get the Town Hall refurbished and back into good use, with subsequent savings for the Council on running costs.
"We have found some great partners and I am looking forward to working with them as we take this forward. I am also delighted that this project enjoys broad cross-party support.
"The major proposals we put forward on Wednesday evening will make a big difference for residents and I am sure they will agree that we are doing what's best for Brentwood."
Councillor Hossack, who stood against the proposal last week, said: "I have not gone back to the ticket office to get a ticket to get back on the train.
"I do wish the council well with this. I hope it works. Personally my problem is that £3.5 million of taxpayers' money is being spent on the town hall.
"I think we should be spending £3.5 million out there where it matters.
"I would never put £3.5 million on a project that I see as having a 50/50 chance of going forward."
Brentwood First councillor Russell Quirk was among the initial instigators who brought about a U-turn in the administration's plans to sell off the town hall for luxury apartments.
The then Conservative, who defected to set up Brentwood First with three colleagues in December last year, said: "This is one of the proudest moments of my time as a councillor."
